Pontiac GTO in Melbourne... Why lol?

[hrtrip]

Well I just thought I'd let you guys know what i saw last night whilst i was picking up some cool refreshing beverages at BWS. I was standing whilst paying as I noticed what i thought initially to be a VE SS roll on into the bottle shop. didn't really think much of it until i realised the grille was weird. anywho, i was thinking to myself where is the driver, he got out quick. and sure enough i quickly realised it was a left hand drive and it was in fact a GTO.

I said to the guy driving it as i was getting back into my car, "you know Holden is just across the road mate?" we had a good chuckle then he said in an american accent "yeah but i can't shift with my left hand" thought it was hilarious, but why honestly would you import a car from the states when it's the same as an aussie built apart from the obvious reasons. weird but each to their own i guess...

HRT R.I.P

[Falcon_Crazy]

You sure it wasnt a holden buck - I've seen a few when down there for work - especially driving down Lang Lang way but in city as well

[Dezza]

You mean Pontiac G8?

GTO was the Monaro. G8 is the VE. IMO the G8 actually looks better than the SS as well

[burnz]

i thought that the G8 was berlina/calais type
and the SS was the camaro ???

A few badges and an expensive bodykit can transform a Munro into an authentic GTO.

I've seen it done and think it looks absolutely awesome.

Btw, I used to work at a servo where we had a guy from Holden come in all the time. He had all these prototypes, likes the VE with full car bra, months before it was released. He once had a LHD Commodore too.

They have to test em before they send em, assuming of course it was a real LHD GTO.

edit: I read your post properly and he may be on round the world trip with his car or he simply works for Holden.

[Lukeyson]

maybe he wanted DOD???

[Dezza]

Originally Posted by burnz

i thought that the G8 was berlina/calais type
and the SS was the camaro ???

What I mean is this is the G8


Taillights are SS-V so I'm guessing that's what it's based on

[burnz]

i think your right
quad pipe's aswell

[Dezza]

but interestingly it's got chrome around the windows. This is the concept though so it's a bit of a parts-bin special

[flappist]

FFS guys......if it is LHD it cannot be an import and get registered here. It has to be a development mule of sine type.

[JMO]

I saw a GTO drop off a kid at my brothers high school a couple of years back. It had 'Left hand drive' in big letters across the rear bumper. This was just after the monaro was released if I recall correctly. I've seen a few older LHD cars (looked 50/60's style, caddy etc) driving around too and that was recent.

[Powdered Toast Man]

It's legal to be LHD if its 30 years old.

I'd say the GTO/G8 whatever was a test mule.

Dezza I'm with you, I prefer the look of the G8 to the SS. And yeah I think it is based on the SS-V but with softer, Yank friendly suspension.

[Bearman]

Test mule. I have seen them pop up on the road occasionally.

[GS608]

the production G8 is the same as the SS. Looks ALOT better than the SS though, they should import the Pontiac G8 :

[Kryton]

Originally Posted by flappist

FFS guys......if it is LHD it cannot be an import and get registered here. It has to be a development mule of sine type.

although this is true for you and me (us Aussies), people from other countries can get a permit to bring their own car out and drive it around while they are here.
they do have a limited time (3 months i think) and then the car must go back.
no left to right hand conversion is needed and no age limit for the car applies.
I know this because the guy that owns the house up the road has a brother who still lives in the U.S and he brings out his 93 Camaro each year with Cali plates still on and its permitted for road use here.

[swapper]

there are lots of LHD G8s around melbourne, as said they are development cars from holden

[US kills Falcon]

Originally Posted by swapper

there are lots of LHD G8s around melbourne, as said they are development cars from holden

Correct. Stand in Salmon Street, Port Melbourne and you'll see many development vehicles enter and leave the Holden premises.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by US kills Falcon

Correct. Stand in Salmon Street, Port Melbourne and you'll see many development vehicles enter and leave the Holden premises.

Yep, for a few years now its been quite a common sight around Port Melb. and Westgate to see the LHD Holden cars driving around.

Occasionally see interesting cars driving around Port Melb. A few years ago there was a mysterious silver flash resembling a '50's or '60's sports car that sounded magic, but was unable to get a good look the few times it went past. Looked up and it was gone...

[SSVPom]

Originally Posted by swapper

there are lots of LHD G8s around melbourne, as said they are development cars from holden

Correct - I even had one pull into the next car wash bay to me in Mitcham a few months back, where upon the driver got out and gave it a bit of a hose down and soapy brush !

Seen a few badged 'Lumina' and also the UAE/Thailand bound LWB Chevy's around my neck of the woods too.

[hrtrip]

well im pretty sure it wasn't a G8... it didn't really look like one as im pretty sure it had a spoiler and a few other things that just look different to those pics. either way it was nice to see the pontiac front on one in real life.

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by flappist

FFS guys......if it is LHD it cannot be an import and get registered here. It has to be a development mule of sine type.

Not entirely correct.
I know of the odd US soldier on exchange who have been allowed to bring over their own vehicle over, one of which was an Ford Expedition with big 'Caution LHD vehicle' on the back

[Abacus]

Originally Posted by XR-CHIEF

the production G8 is the same as the SS. Looks ALOT better than the SS though, they should import the Pontiac G8 :

They certainly do look tough. Holden should use these panels for the SS and just stick a Holden badge on them.

[da_ilks]

lol @ the op - as everyone else said, development mule. The Pontiac front end looks crap in my opinion - hate the grill.

[WindsorXR]

Probably just some wingnut in a Holden Commondore who wants his car to look like an import. You know how they are? Holdens with Chevy badges and engines, etc

[Bud Bud]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Not entirely correct.
I know of the odd US soldier on exchange who have been allowed to bring over their own vehicle over, one of which was an Ford Expedition with big 'Caution LHD vehicle' on the back

I think you are right and maybe and it may have been this way for a long time.

Last year at the Bay to Birdwood Classic, I saw a LH Drive HR Holden. By memory it was sold in Hawaii to an American service man, and then brought back into the country by him during a transfer. The car was then ultimately sold of and remained here since, and now has become a collectable.

[3vXT]

I don't like the US ones much. The front end just doesn't look good IMO and the suspension rework makes them a lot softer than ours.

EDIT: I haven't driven them, just going off what i've read, and regardless of their looks or anything else, its good to see our cars being sold overseas.

[LOCO XP]

I'll second that thought, I thought it was great to see the GTO get a good review of Top Gear a couple of years back (drifting on a beach), I'm under the impression that RWD cars with decent power, price and practicality are few and far between in the states. Holden or otherwise, it's great to see Aussie muscle going international

[GORDZ]

i have seen several pontiac G8's around melbourne.. big LEFT HAND DRIVE sticker on it's fat rearend... they're just mules.

[WayneHadfield]

Originally Posted by US kills Falcon

Correct. Stand in Salmon Street, Port Melbourne and you'll see many development vehicles enter and leave the Holden premises.

Spot on. I'm just around the corner from Salmon St so see the GTOs quite regularly. Just on Monday night I was sitting at the lights with a silver Cadillac XLR sitting across the intersection from me.

[Spanrz]

I've seen a black G8 in Narre Warren, last few weeks.
Drives along Pound road about 6:30am. Left hand drive and all. Ahahaha.

G8 + Left Hand Drive = why bother!